A Week of Miracles: 8/31/15

I really don't want to write today but I wanted to include some highlights.

-We met this lady named Dorris. She's in the nursing home and super cute. She has us sing to her every Sunday

-This lady named Nicole made us dinner! She is so amazing and we all become quick friends. She even loves Korean Dramas. Turns out we both love Boys Over Flowers.

-Grandma Jan came out to a lesson with us!

-Do you remember the story where the car backs up to our window and sister Underly was like "We're gonna get shot!" and then I said "roll down the window! What if they want to get baptized?!?" Well, we met with them. I was right. Timothy wanted to get baptized into our church 6 months ago and just couldn't quit smoking. They are an Awesome Part Member Family. It has led to a lot of fun stories and adventures the short time we've known them!

Love you all!

The Animal Farm (Sister Golding Vs. Even More Animals)

This week has been fun and crazy and fun. We moved in with the most amazing lady in the world as well as two cats, three dogs, 4 chicks, and about a dozen hens. Our member we live with shortly after the move left town for Utah leaving us on animal duty. The chickens would not get in the cage, the dogs would make messes, the cat ran away (and luckily we got him back)--It's been interesting. I think we finally got the groove down but we are quite happy Sister G is coming back tonight :)

Sister Golding vs. the Dogs. To help with Sister Haight's allergies during our lunch hour we bathed the three dogs. Sister G. told us to put them in the bath tub and use the shower head. When we finally got the 120/130 pound dog in the bath tub. We shut the shower door. There we were. Two sisters and a giant dog in the bath tub. Bode just looks up at us like "What the heck is going on?" and I just had to laugh because his expression was EXACTLY how I was feeling.

The work has been amazing this week. Samantha (one of our investigators in Carson River Ward) got baptized on Tuesday! We thought we wouldn't be able to go due to transfers, but we weren't invited to stay for the transfer meeting and went to Carson minus Sister Grandy and plus Sister Haight at noon. We surprised her! It was an amazing baptism where the spirit was so strong. Grandma Jan got confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this week. Very tender moment. She looked so happy. We have been able to find and have started working with 3 amazing part member families this week. One of our investigators we thought may be a lost cause has turned a new page and now has a baptism date of September 26. I have a feeling this one may actually go though.

One of our more interesting stories from this week happened at a motel... I'll spare my dad the details (he told me to stop scaring him), but after an event we felt a strong prompting to knock on this door. The event kinda shook us so we were scared but the prompting was undeniable. We knocked on the door and found this most amazing 21 year old who needs this in her life right now. Our meeting was brief but perfect. We found a friend. I can't wait to continue working with her!

I know that the church is true. The grace of Jesus Christ gives us healing, forgiveness, and strength. God still talks to his people, the heavens are not closed but very open. Open because a Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to have greater access to that amazing grace. Just as God gives us a sun rise after the dark, with every second there is second chance to feel the beams of light breaking through the darkness. God has a plan. Perhaps we don't quite understand what it is, but he does and that is enough for me.

I hope you all have a great week!

Transfer news! And Grandma Jan's Baptism: 8/17/15

Sister Golding is staying Hot Springs but I actually get a companion! My companion will be Sister Haight. She is a temple square sister on her second transfer in the field.

This week has been amazing and awesome. Thank you for the chance to serve with Sister Grandy and Underly. They are amazing.

Grandma Jan got baptized yesterday. The spirit was so amazing. It really is never too late to embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ! I love the gospel and I know this church is true. Have a great week.

What is the best that lies within us? Of how much are we capable? None of us yet knows... An old Arabic legend tells of a rider finding a spindly sparrow lying on its back in the middle of the road. He dismounted and asked the sparrow why his feet where in the air.

Replied the sparrow, “I heard the heavens were going to fall today.”

“And I suppose you think your puny bird legs can hold up the whole universe?” laughed the horseman.

“Perhaps not,” said the sparrow with conviction, “but one does whatever one can.”

This week has been too fast but also amazing and great. The greatest part Was Grandma Jan's baptism! The spirit there was so sweet and amazing. I cannot believe this day has come. She has lived with Brother and Sister Thornton for years and when we first started teaching her she would look at us and say "You can't teach old dogs new tricks!". Well, as it turns out, it is never too late to embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ. Her GREAT grandchildren gave the prayers as well as as the talk on baptism. It was too cute. I love her just so much. It made my life to see it all.

So transfers have been announced. Sister Grandy is finishing out and headed back to AZ. Sister Underly is getting a sister from Ely. And Sister Golding? I'm getting a Temple Square sister. She is on her second and last transfer in the field and should be heading back to Temple Square at the end of this transfer. I went on exchanges with her for a few hours when Sister Ash went through the temple before going home, so it should be good :)

A story has really touched me this week. It is in a BYU devotional by Elder Jeffery R Holland He says,

"What is the best that lies within us? Of how much are we capable? None of us yet knows... An old Arabic legend tells of a rider finding a spindly sparrow lying on its back in the middle of the road. He dismounted and asked the sparrow why his feet where in the air.

Replied the sparrow, “I heard the heavens were going to fall today.”

“And I suppose you think your puny bird legs can hold up the whole universe?” laughed the horseman.

“Perhaps not,” said the sparrow with conviction, “but one does whatever one can.”

This short tale has given me a lot of courage this past week. I can just picture the puny little legs of the sparrow and his desire to take on the world. Perhaps we won't change the world. Maybe my contribution is small. But not matter what we have to face, we have to keep going. We have to keep trying. On talking about the Pioneers, Brad Wilcox said, "The task ahead of them was never as great as the power behind them". I know that when we have God on our side, when we have grace--the enabling power of the Atonement, the task in front of us will NEVER be as great as the power behind us.

Love you all and have a great week! 

Are you religious? No. I'm Christian: 8/8/15

Okay. This week has been strange and all over (with one of us getting sick, the sisters needing to go to reno and going on splits, and just days where things went crazy). So many funny things.

*This guy passes us in a motel trying to contact another lady and mumbles

"Galatians 6:5"

"OH cool. What's that one?"

"I have no need to answer any man because I have applied the blood of Christ and have no need to do anything more" (Actual Scripture: "For every man shall bear his own burden." So close)

"Nice. So are you very religious?"

"NO. I'm CHRISTIAN."

Then he walks away. We all look at each other in silence for a few seconds and I finally say "So... It that his name? Hi Christian. I'm Sister Golding!"

*We walked into the WRONG house for dinner and spend 15 minutes talking to this lady thinking they just forgot she was feeding us dinner.

*A random car drives past and stops a little too early for it to be at the stop sign and then reverses up to our car. Sister Underly somewhat scared yells 

"We're gonna get SHOT!" 

"Roll down the window! What if they want to be baptized!"

So we roll down the window. Most random conversation ever. Then they see the bages and tell us where there house is and to come visit anytime and drive off. So crazy! When does that happen?

On a More spiritual note.

I've been thinking a lot about the miracle of Christ calming the storm (Mark 4). I would see videos of this account and wonder why the disciples were SO worried. But then I thought of the story from the point of view of one of the disicples. The waves "beat into the ship" so much that it was "now full". The water had filled the boat so much that it was filled to it's maximum capacity. Death was imminent. Then they turned to the Savior and there he was "asleep on a pillow". What they must have felt was complete abandonment. They asked, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?" Do I matter so little to you that you can sleep while I am fighting for my life? I feel like I and many people have been in that boat. I remember times where I was drowning in trials and sorrows and the heavens seemed closed. I would pray in my own way "Master, carest thou not that I perish". You have all power, can't you take this away? But he always, in his own time, says "Peace be still". He let's the boat get full but he will never let us drown.  Then comes the rebuke.

"Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?"

Which reminds me of a similar rebuke I use to think was very harsh. When Peter walks on water and falls into the water after seeing the winds and waves.

"O thou of little faith"

Didn't they face death? Didn't he just WALK ON WATER? Didn't they desert everything they own to follow the Savior" As I thought I came to realization that perhaps the rebuke wasn't towards their faith in whole. But they were rebuked because they feared. Just as cold is the absence of heat. Just as darkness is the absence of light. Fear is the absence of faith. All of our fears can be overcome through faith.

Not once does the Lord say fear, worry, be anxious. He always says "Peace, be still" "Be strong and of a good courage. Be not afraid. Neither be thou dismayed for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest" "Doubt not, Fear not." Faith is truly the antidote to fear. He tells his disciples, "if you turn to me, you have no need to fear."

Sorry this is a long email. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Another funny moment...

* We talked to these VERY VERY intoxicated people. the drunk guy mumbles "This morning, this is so weird, but this morning I was just singing 'Mary did you know' do you know that song? Now you guys are here." Then he starts singing and I start singing along and he FREAKS out and starts slapping his buddy. "SPARKY! SPARK! I was singing this song this morning and. this is so weird. She just started singing! OUT OF NOWHERE!" Then he sang the first line and made a motion to me "SING IT! SING IT!" then he put his arms in the air and swayed as I sang. Yep. Pretty fun.

* Then a man walked down the stairs and Mary Did You Know guy yells out "TONY! TONY! Come over here for a second. You need to shake hands with this lady. Tony shakes my hand and walks away. We pass Tony on the way back to the car and say "Hey! It's Tony right?" "No, it's Bob." "I thought... you were Tony" "HE doesn't know me! He has no clue what he is saying!"

If you squeeze lemons... : 8/3/15

If you squeeze lemons, you get lemon Juice

If you squeeze oranges, you get orange juice.

If you you squeeze Christ, you get Jesus Christ

If you squeeze a Mormon....

Supposedly you get Joseph Smith. We ran into this guy who really like deep religious philosophy. It was a VERY interesting conversation of learning. He wanted to show us that you can't put a box on a religion or else you cease to "squeeze" Jesus Christ. Something we tried to help him understand is the role of a prophet. Christ only gets to physically be on the earth and lead his people twice--His mortal ministry and His second coming. Don't you think, he would call someone just as he has in the past to lead His people and His church prior top the second coming? We do not follow Joseph Smith, we worship and follow our savior Jesus Christ. Very interesting conversation. We often run into people who want to save the missionaries because we have been brain washed... supposedly. I can tell you something though. No one could make me believe something based solely off their word. At one point the man said "If you are so confident in your faith you need to challenge it." To which I responded with full confidence "Oh, I challenge it everyday and everyday I know even more that it is true." I later used his challenge to me in response to the fact he had never actually read all of the Book of Mormon, "If you are so confident in YOUR faith, you need to read and challenge this book." In the end, he looked at me and said, "I like your challenging feisty spirit. You have obviously done some questioning. I like it." I don't know how much he got out of that conversation but my testimony grew leaps and bounds as I challenged my faith once more and found once again that it is true. He asked why they send the young ones out. To which I quoted Paul, "When I am weak, then am I strong". When it is the truth, when we have God on our side, it doesn't matter if you are the most eloquent,  knowledgeable speaker. It is the truth. How else could a 19-21 year old defend their faith to someone who can quote the bible back and forth in English, Hebrew, and Greek and make him think? The lord has always called the weak and simple, the fisherman to do His work. It's the truth. If it's the truth then nothing else matters.

We have seen so many miracles and amazing things this week. Week two has gone smoother than week one by a lot. Definitely faster. This week flew. I love missionary work. We are enrolled in a great cause.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!